Shorten’s ratings rise as Labor holds its lead in Newspoll

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Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

As the campaign enters its last days, Newspoll in the Australian shows Labor maintaining its 51-49% lead, while Bill Shorten has closed in on Scott Morrison as better prime minister.

Shorten’s approval has also improved compared to a week ago, in a poll that has both sides increasing their primary votes by one point. The Coalition is now on 39% and the ALP 37%.

The opposition leader’s lift in personal ratings follows his emotional comments after the Daily Telegraph accused him of omitting a key part of his late mother’s story in an account of her career. The Telegraph’s report was widely condemned, and the Shorten response was seen as “humanising” him.

While Scott Morrison retains a clear lead as better prime minister, Shorten has cut this back to 7 points. Shorten improved his rating by 3 points to 38%; Morrison fell a point to 45%.

Shorten had the best result in terms of net satisfaction since March 2015, the Australian reports. His satisfaction rating rose 3 points to 39%; his dissatisfaction number fell 4 points to 49%, for a net approval of minus 10.

Morrison had an equal number of people satisfied and dissatisfied with his performance. This is little changed from the week before when he was on minus 1.

The Greens remained on 9%. One Nation (down a point) and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party are level pegging on 4% each.